Hannah McFadden, a fourth year Anthropology student, has been selected to take part in an ethnoecological study with the Wehea Dayak in Indonesian Borneo. This spring, the team will meet in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, Borneo, and travel to Wehea, participating in field lectures and discussions along the journey. Students will explore the emerging concept known as resilience, beginning with theory and moving into the analysis of resilience and management of social-ecological systems. Students will gain insight into how ethnoecological and biodiversity studies being conducted with the Wehea Dayak relate to the bigger picture of analyzing the resilience of the Wehea social-ecological system. Hannah, along with a small group of university students from around North America, will have the unique opportunity to contribute to the first resilience analysis of the Wehea social-ecological system.
Students participating in the ethnoecological study will collaborate with an anthropologist and help conduct the first study of this type with the Wehea Dayak. On the biodiversity study, students will collaborate with scientists and local forest rangers and contribute to conservation projects that work to protect some of the most biologically rich ecosystems on our planet.
After approximately four weeks, the two groups will bring their findings together and discuss the complex issues facing the Wehea social-ecological system. Findings, along with videos, photos, and stories will be shared at a community event and contribute to future community initiatives.
The above projects are part of an ongoing initiative between the nonprofit organization Ethical Expeditions and the Wehea Dayak community:
Ethical Expeditions (http://ethicalexpeditions.ning.com/)